A Billionaire's Love Affair Page 7

  “Hey, there’s the man of the hour,” Mason said and got to his feet. I never had to worry about feeling underdressed when he was around. He was wearing his usual faded jeans and a black T-shirt with boots I was sure he’d worn since high school.

  I shook his hand before walking to the side bar to get a drink. “Is Jack coming?”

  “Yes, he’ll be here soon.”

  “Where are the ladies?” I asked.

  “Helping Mom,” Grayson answered.

  I almost choked on my first drink. “What? She let them in her kitchen?”

  “You’ve missed out on a lot,” Mason said with a laugh. “The ladies often help her in the kitchen.”

  “Wow. Don’t tell me she’s actually sharing recipes.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far,” Grayson said.

  We sat down, taking advantage of the comfortable leather furniture in our father’s study. It was where we felt closest to him. “How’s the foundation going?” Mason asked.

  “Good. We officially open tomorrow and I feel ready.”

  James walked into the study. “It’s all Mom has talked about,” he said. “I walked in on her book club meeting and they were all chatting about it.”

  That made me feel good to know she could be proud of her fourth son. I had not done much to earn that respect from her. “I hope I can make her proud.”

  Jack strolled into the study. Heels headed down the hall told me Natasha was on her way to the kitchen. “Glad to see you could pull yourself away from your busy philanthropy,” he teased.

  “I’ve been very busy.”

  He poured himself a drink and sat down. It wasn’t often we all got together. Technically, I supposed we weren’t all together. We were missing one. It seemed like we were always missing one or two. I was just glad to have Mason back in the fold. It had been too long.

  “Has anyone heard from Channing?” James asked casually.

  We all looked at each other.

  “I saw he posted on Instagram,” Jack said.

  “You’re on Instagram?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “Nat is. Part of promoting the company or something.”

  “What did he post?” Grayson asked.

  “He’s in Thailand. Or he was in Thailand.”

  “What the hell is he doing there?” I asked.

  “Taking pictures, I imagine,” he replied.

  “Any bets on when he might come home?” Mason asked.

  “Nope,” Grayson answered.

  “Maybe I’ll reach out to him. I bet he’s got some great connections.”

  “Connections to what?” Jack asked.

  “To groups that could benefit from our foundation.”

  “When was the last time you’ve talked to him?” Mason asked.

  I thought about it. Then I thought some more. “I don’t know actually. Maybe two years.”

  “Damn,” Mason said.

  I felt like an asshole. “What about you?” I shot back. “When’s the last time you talked to him?”

  “Far more recent than you.”

  “Dinner,” Hannah, Grayson’s wife, announced from the doorway.

  We all finished our drinks and left the glasses on the sideboard before making our way to the formal dining room. It smelled amazing. I was looking forward to what I was guessing was roasted chicken and her famous scalloped potatoes slathered in cream and cheese.

  “It smells amazing, Mom,” I said as I took my seat. Everyone else took their seats around the long table.

  “Thank you.”

  “Do you want to be my date?” James teased.

  I looked around the table and did feel a bit like the odd man out. “No thanks.”

  We started dishing up. “Are you excited for tomorrow?” my mother asked me.

  “I am. Things are in place and I hope to start making some big decisions tomorrow.”

  “Big decisions?” Grayson asked.

  “My goal is to have at least one charity on the books tomorrow.”

  “That’s fast,” he replied.

  “I think it’s great!” our mother exclaimed. “He wants to hit the ground running. What charity?”

  “I don’t know yet. I’m hoping my charity manager has some ideas. Actually, I know she will have an idea.”

  “Who is your charity manager?” Jack asked. “Is it that guy I sent over?”

  “No. None of you know her.”

  “Her?” Mason asked.

  “Yes, she’s someone I ran into on the street. She is very familiar with the charities in the city. She’s motivated and I know she’s going to do a great job.”

  “Good job, son,” Mom said with a bright smile. “You did well. I cannot wait to see what you do with this new and improved foundation.”

  “I’ve been working toward this day for years. I know all of you thought I was just screwing around, but I really did have a plan. I wasn’t just playing around.”

  Grayson scoffed. “Sure, you weren’t.”

  “Grayson, he’s done well,” our mother scolded. “He spent these last years building relationships that will benefit the foundation.”

  Jack rolled his eyes. “Is that what we are calling it?”

  “Stop, you two. This is something Colt has always wanted to do. Now that the time is here, I will expect you all to support him. You will all be attending any fundraisers he puts together as well. No exceptions.”

  I had to bite back a smile. When my mother decreed something, there was no arguing with her. Yes, we were all grown men, but our mama was no joke. “Yeah,” I taunted.

  “I’m not putting on a tux and I am not being auctioned off,” Mason said firmly.

  “Um, no one would buy your ugly ass,” Grayson muttered.

  “Hey,” Addie, Mason’s wife, said with a frown. “I would pay a million dollars for my man.”

  “Gross,” Jack groaned.

  Natasha slapped his arm. “Stop it.”

  “I’ll volunteer to be auctioned,” James said with a smile.

  “That’s the spirit,” Mom said. “Oh goodness, I need a serving spoon.” She hopped up from the table and went to the kitchen.

  “You are such a suck-up,” Mason said to James.

  “Hey, I’m single and ready to mingle.”

  “You’ll be single for the rest of your days if you don’t get out of this house and date,” I told him. “You spend every waking moment with her.”

  “No, I don’t. Besides, someone has to.”

  “Colt, you’re single and have lots of time on your hands,” Jack said. “Why don’t you hang out more often? Lord knows you’re the favorite. She wants you here.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I’m not the favorite. Not even close.”

  “I don’t have favorites,” Mom said as she walked back into the dining room. “You boys have argued about that from the moment you could speak. Now, tell me more about your plans. Should I come by tomorrow? I would love to show my support.”

  Jack coughed into his hand. Coughing “favorite” as he did. I very casually flipped him the bird without making it obvious. He didn’t miss the gesture. He laughed and shrugged.

  “I don’t think you need to go to the office tomorrow, but I would love for you to come by as soon as things settle down.”

  “I’ve been telling all the girls about what you’re doing. We are all thrilled to see what you do with your foundation. And of course, you know you have plenty of support from me and our family friends.”

  “Thanks, Mom, I appreciate that.”

  “So, what exactly will you do at this foundation?” Grayson asked. “You, personally. You hired a slew of people, right? Isn’t that a lot of overhead?”

  “I’ve been collecting money for years. I’m a little embarrassed to say I haven’t used a lot of it. We have plenty of donors and the overhead is covered. Mom made a generous donation that ensures our office will be staffed and open for the next year.”

  “Favorite,” Jack coughed again.

&nbs
p; “Jack, the money I gave was given freely. It isn’t like I can ever spend the money your father left me. I am investing it in a worthy cause. If any of you would like to start a charitable organization, I would be happy to make a contribution.”

  “Thanks, Mom,” I said with an exaggerated smile.

  “I’m going to lose my appetite,” Mason complained.

  “When is the first fundraiser?” Jack asked.

  “Yes!” Natasha exclaimed. “I can’t wait to get dressed up. It’s been too long.”

  “Baby, you can dress up anytime you want. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”

  “It’s not the same,” she said. “I want to schmooze. I want you in a tux. I want to dance and drink champagne.”

  “We just went to a Christmas party,” he argued.

  “Jack,” she said in a tone that made him sit up a little straighter.

  He touched her hand. “You’re right. A black-tie event sounds great.”

  Mason made the sound of a cracking whip, which earned him a frown from Adelaide. “I’d choose your next words very carefully, mister.”

  He looked like he was going to say something smart, but instead, he chose to keep his mouth shut. It was fun to watch my brothers fall to the power of love. It certainly didn’t take long for it to happen. In a way, I envied them, but in another way, I was very glad to have my freedom.

  “I appreciate the support from all of you,” I said. “All joking aside, I know I can count on you all to be there when I need a helping hand.”

  “And a fat check,” Mason quipped.

  “And most definitely with a fat check,” I said with a laugh.

  Chapter 11

  Maisie

  It was all getting very real. The nerves were kicking in. All week, I tried to think of a good excuse to back out of the job. I tried, but my lovely roommates were always there to kick my ass back into reality. The reality of my life was I didn’t have money to pay February’s rent. Bruno was covering my share of the electric bill and I was basically mooching off my roommates’ good graces. It wasn’t just the money for me. It was the money I could use for good.

  “You are overthinking it again,” Donna said as she walked into the living room.

  I’d been staring at the fire dancing behind the glass, and yes, I was overthinking it all again. “Are you really sure this is the best choice? What if I get there and he tells me it was all a joke? What if he lied about the job and he really does want me to be the girl that gets his coffee?”

  “Then you either get the man coffee and make a hundred grand for doing it or you get a job at a coffee shop making minimum wage and get coffee for everyone else.”

  “You’re so practical,” I groaned.

  She laughed. “That’s me, Practical Donna. Come on. You have to at least try. This is a really good deal for you. If he turns out to be a complete jerk, you tell him to fuck off and you walk away. One paycheck is all you need to carry you for three months.”

  “Six months really,” I muttered.

  “Exactly. You get in there and get a paycheck and then you learn the way of the land. If you can make even a tiny bit of difference by taking that job, you have to do it. Give it a month. Use the power of your position to funnel some money toward our favorite charities.”

  “You are hitting below the belt,” I told her.

  “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. When do you think you are going to get knocked on your ass by one of the wealthiest men in the state who just so happens to run a foundation rolling in money?”

  “Never,” I muttered.

  “Exactly,” she said and patted my leg. “Now, what are you going to wear tomorrow?”

  I put my hand over my face. “I have no idea. I wore the only skirt I had.”

  “We’ll raid my closet. Hell, we’ll raid everyone’s closet. We’ll find you something.”

  “Okay, first of all, I’m like half the size of all of you. Second of all, we put together one outfit. That does nothing for me for the rest of the week.”

  “Girl, you know we are not going to give you just one outfit,” Evan said as he walked into the room. “We will cinch and fold and pinch until we make it fit.”

  “Nothing too sexy,” Bruno warned. “We all know his reputation.”

  “Whose reputation?”

  “Mr. Sexy,” Evan teased.

  “Your boss is a Bancroft,” Donna explained. “They have a reputation.”

  “You cannot let him sleep with you,” Evan warned. “Guys like that are used to getting what they want and who they want.”

  “I’m not what he wants, trust me,” I said with a laugh. “I’m not going to be walking a runway anytime soon or inheriting an oil business. Not to mention, no thanks. I can barely tolerate men like him. I’m doing this for the kids. I’m only taking the job because you guys bullied me into it.”

  “I’ll grab the wine, and you guys get started on the raiding of closets,” Bruno said. “I have a blush button-up that will look great with her skin tone.”

  “Are you guys seriously going to make me wear men’s clothes?” I complained.

  “Men’s, women’s, it’s all the same,” Evan said with a wave of his hand. “Seriously, you put your pants on the same way we do.”

  “But your pants are much bigger than my pants.”

  “Like I said, a little roll at the top and a little cinching will go a long way,” Evan said. “And don’t you dare try to tell me I’m bigger than you.”

  “I wouldn’t dare,” I said with a laugh.

  I walked into my room and took a seat on my bed while they dug through my closet and drawers. I struggled through a number of outfit changes, my anxiety increasing with every passing second. I couldn’t help but think I could be making a huge mistake.

  “Stop it,” Bruno said and refilled my wine glass.

  “I have not been this freaked out about anything since we picked up and moved here.”

  Evan made a snorting noise. “If I remember right, I’m the one who was a basket case. You were cool as a cucumber.”

  “I was not! I was freaking out. I had never been so scared about anything.”

  “You didn’t act like it.”

  “I was trying to be brave for you. Inside, I was scared, but that fear was different. I was excited. Nervous but excited. This fear is different.”

  “How can you be more afraid of going to a job than you are of moving a thousand miles away from your family?” Bruno asked.

  “I don’t know. I feel like I am going to fail.”

  “Aha!” Donna shouted. “That’s the problem.”

  “What?” I asked.

  “You have a fear of failure. You know what they say about failing, right?”

  “I’m afraid to ask.”

  “Failure is proof you are trying. If you don’t try, you can’t fail. You are trying to make a real difference and that is amazing. I’m inspired by you. I don’t think you are going to fail. I think you are going to kick ass and so many people are going to benefit from you trying. Just suck it up and jump in with both feet.”

  “That’s easy for you to say. I’m the one that has to pull off this charade. I don’t know the first thing about being a manager or what it takes to do the job at all. It wasn’t like he gave me any specifics.”

  “You can ask him,” she said.

  “Stop making excuses,” Bruno said. “Every great thing starts with a first step.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You guys are all so full of wisdom today.”

  “Hey, I started out as the low man on the totem pole at my work. I worked hard and learned every day. Now look, I can afford food and nice clothes.”

  “But you always say you want to do more rallies and stuff,” I pointed out.

  “Yes, but I like having a roof over my head and I like being able to take care of the people I love.”

  I groaned and looked up at the ceiling. “Fine. I’ll go. I swear if I bomb this job, I’m holding you guys
responsible.”

  “I’m going to check my closet,” Evan said and left the room.

  Bruno went with him. Donna came to sit beside me on the bed. “You really have to relax,” she said. “You are going to do great. Just follow your heart. When you commit yourself to something, you are unstoppable.”

  “This feels like it is so far out of my wheelhouse. I want to do it, but I just don’t know if I can make a real difference from behind a desk inside a fancy uptown office. I feel like my place is on the ground. I need to be in the shelters. I need to be actually helping the kids get food and warm clothes. What if this foundation is just another one of those big money machines used to help the wealthy lower their tax responsibility?”

  “Then you leave,” she said. “You are acting like you are signing away your life. This is a job. How many jobs have you had?”

  I scoffed. “Is that a real question?”

  “You quit when you don’t like the job. Period. End of story.”

  “All right, I get it. I’m freaking out over nothing.”

  “Just try and look at this as an opportunity. You can really make a difference here. Don’t get caught up in your head. You overthink it and you start doubting yourself. You are more than capable of doing this job. Like he told you, you know the ins and outs of this world. He doesn’t. He doesn’t have the first clue about some of those shady shelters. You don’t want them getting money they will misuse.”

  “You’ve got that right. If there is any way I can get those places shut down, you better believe I will. They do a huge disservice to the community if they stay open.”

  She smiled before getting off the bed. “One problem at a time. First, you help as many as you can. Then, you can go on a crusade to weed out the bad ones.”

  Evan and Bruno came back into the room. Each of them was carrying an armful of clothes. Evan dropped his pile on the bed before picking up a pair of black slacks with flared legs. “These will look great on you.”

  Donna popped out of the closet to see what he had. “Yes! Put them on.”

  I had no problems changing in front of all of them. It wasn’t like Bruno or Evan were going to want any of my goodies. I pulled on the pants that were a little long.